Fluid-conveyer system



Jan. l, 1929..'

E. L. AIKNS FLUID GQNVEYER SYSTEM Filed June 4, 1927 COMFRESSED AIR.

i IN1/Emme.` ifz'yw. y

Patented Jan. l, 17929.

i v1,597,584k

' FLUID-CONVEYEB SYSTEM.

Application filed .Tune 4,

- This invention relatesfgenerally to ini-v provements in fluid conveyer apparatus and more particularly to means for Yfeedingor charging material into conveyer systems of this type. Y I Y f Fluidffconv'eyers ofthe type to V'which the;

present invention relates-comprise broadly a charging stationsv andv one or more receiving stations'and throughv-which-Huid under presl sure, such as compressed air, isl caused to flow at a relatively high velocity so that granular, librous,wpowdered or/similar ma? terial `fed intothe conduit atI a charging station is entrained in the fast flowing stream of compressed fluid and carried' thereby through t-he conduit toa receiving station where there may be provided suitable means for separating the Vsolid material from' the 'conveyer fluid. While apparatus for 'this general purpose has long been: known and used, they haefor the most .part been some-` what handicapped in that no adequate means was provided for'charging the materials into the conveyer conduit ata substantially uniform rate, and 1n the absence of such" rmeans thel systems frequently became overloaded causing sluggish `operationand often resulting in a complete'cloggin'g of Vthe conduit. "This was due in the main to the lfact that` the material Vwas supplied tol theA sys- Y efficient use in connection tem in slugs7 or batches.

The Apresent invention vthereforel has in mind the provision of meansfor charging material into the conveyerA conduit at a substantially uniform rate andl in a manner such as to 'substantially preclud'ethe possibility overloading or `clogging the system.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for positively yregulating and con-k trolling the rate of charging 1n' accordance with the character ofthe material/to be handled, thereby adapting they apparatus to with many different industries.

Anotherobject of the invention is 'tofprovide an a paratus of thetype indicated which. Y is especia ly useful in handling and `convey-v Y ing saw mill refuse but lwhichfmay also be advantageously' used forV handling pulver! ized coal, grain, ashes, paper trimmings,

rags and' similar comminuted material. 'Y Theinventi'on consists'incertain 'new and improved features of construction and combination of partshereinafter fully described `inthe 'specification "andillustrated in the' 1927. seria1vno.`19s,595. Y

accompanying :drawings and which are pointed out more* pended claims.

In the accompanying-` drawings,' lwherein particularly in. the 4apl have lillustratedapreferred embodiment of my invention,

conveyer-system. Y Fig-2 V1s a sectionalviewvtakenon'the 'line 2 2 of Fig..l.

z Fig. [3 isa. sectional line 3&3 of Fig. 2. Y v Fig; 4 is a sectional view takenf'on the line 4-4 of Fig'. E i' Fig. 5 is a fragmentaldetail viewpartly in..`

section showing one form of nozzle adjust# ingmeans.` W f..

Fig. 6 isa detail view of amodie'd form of nozzle.

companying drawings wherein like referencev numerals designate hkejparts throughout, l indicates anyconvement bin .orv source of supply for the material'togbefhandledx Imi new maar@ ithe.

l L Figure, l `isanV elevationof a= lcompleter'V 1 conduit lextending between one ormorek f f Referring more .particularly to theacsol at its dischargefend` with a-s'uitable separat'` ing apparatus 5 designed to elfectfthef-sepsr aration of the conveying'. fluidfand solid materialsentering the vsame and to discharge spout 6.

.the lattenfrom as' conveniently arranged? As shown in Fig. letililecompvressedair A and in aXiala-linementwith the conduit 3.

The downwardlydirected V.portion 9 of the pipe@- terminates inea dischargefnozzle 10,

the orifice 1l ofxwhich is controlled byl a needle valve v12.*The `valve l2=carries Janv elongated operating stem lfwhich extends'l axiallyof the'pipe portion`9 throughgthe'',

curved upper; wallfther'eof'finto.V screwiv threaded engagement with an `integrallboss. f

11a-1d when' 15.

The vreceiving( hopper or nipple "14; and terminates in a suitable i cylindrical throughout theymajor portion of its length but asshown in Fig. 3 tapers downwardly forming a substantially `conical Vlower Aportion 2a merging into a contracted throat or venturi16 surrounding and ad'acent to the discharge nozzleV 10, vthus de; ningan annular supply passagev for the material from the chamber 2-into thevventuri. The venturi V16 terminates in al lower cylindrical portion 17 which telescopically engages a sleeve member 18 vsecured to the end of the conveyer conduit 3. Y

Itis,'of course, vobvious that thepressure K ofthe convey-ing fluid may` be capable of "l variation within suitablelimits and that the volume` of air admitted to the apparatus may be `adequately controlled by means of the I' Vvalve:mechanismy 12 hereinbeforereferred to,

but in order to adapt the apparatusto use with materials of diferent characters and to insure atl all times a maximum degree of vacuum witha given volume and. pressure vof conveying fluid,.it is' desirable tol adjust the relative position of the discharge nozzle 10 with respect `to the throat of the venturi 16. This adjustment is preferably effected by bodilyraising or lowering the hopper. 2

f' which is made possible by t-lie provision of an elongated slot T19 inthe wall of the-receiving hopper 'through' which extends the delivery or discharge end of the compressed air line 7 y'The slot 19 is of a length sufficient f to permit the necessary `range ofV movement of -the` hopper. 2 with respect tothe nozzle.

10' inorder to ,providefor' the necessary range of adjustment between the nozzle and said" slot are coveredbythe'shield or guardl theyen'turi, and the unoccupied portions of 20 surrounding the pipe 7 and arranged to move'in spaced confining guides 21 secured to the outer wall of the hopper 2 on either side of-,the slot. This construction is clearly illus-4 itrated inV Figs2 andl 3.

The adjustmentzof the nozzle with respect to` the venturiisrealized by varying the effective length of the hopper support by altering the'degree of telescopic engagement.

' between Vthe lower cylindrical portion 17 of theventuri and lthe sleeve 18, the latter being fixedto the conduit 3. These elementsmay be` retained in anadjusted position by means of' a' clam-ping band or strap 22 carried ;f thesleeve k18 adjacent to :its upper extremity i and'fwliileithis Vadjustmentv mayV beinade in any yconvenient .manner and without the in strumentalityfofanyl mechanical devices, I

prefery tofprovide suitable cooperating meml {bers' onthesleeve 18 and the hopper structure forthe purpose of'effecting'saidl adjustments. rSi'ch'i'me'ans'are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as comprising vgears yor pinions 23 and 23a ro# v t'atablyv'mountedV u'po the lower cylindrical .i portion'17 of the'hopper structure and arranged to operatively engage suitable racks 24 .formed in longitudinalwalls of' an elonbated slot in the wall of the sleeve 18.V The pinions 23 and 23a are preferably mounted, to` rotate upon studs or pins 26v lixedly secured to the wall of the cylinder'17` and the pinion 23'is provided with a squared boss 27 to permit the application -thereto of a the pinion 23 may be rotated upon the stud 26 and due to the engagement between the gears and racks the hopper structure will be suitable crank or operating handle 28. Thus n.

adjusted vertically up and down according to the direction of rotation of'said pinion.

Incidentally it may be noted that the shifting@ f of `the nozzle 10 with respect to theventuri 16 serves also to vary the area of the annular material supply passage betweenthev nozzle;

and; tlieconical wall'2a of the hopper.

free. extremity, The chamber structure isl provided with a divided yoke or` strap 31 clamped labout the throat 16 .and carryingk a `vertically disposed and freely rotatable threaded operating rod 32 at its extremity.

The rod 32 is in vertical alinement with the threaded aperture 30E of the lug 29 into Y which it is threaded. Suitable thrust collars 33 are provided on opposite sides of the yoke 31 so that by rotatin the rod v32- through the instrumentality o a suitably provided hand wheel-34 the hopper structure maybe shifted vertically with respectto the sleeve 18V to properly position the nozzle 10 with.

respect to the venturiv 16. It is to be noted .A'.modiied=form of adjusting mechanism' is showninFigy, wherein the sleeve-18 is- Vprovidedwith an outstanding lug 29fhaving a screw-threaded aperture 30 Vadjacent its that the sleeve 18 ifvdesired may be split.r

the form of a series of calibrations .or'gra'du-v ations 35 inscribed upon one of theshield or guide members 21, and which are designed to cooperatewith anindicatinghand 36V inscribed onthe shield 20. i It is, of course,

obvious'that if desired, similar indications or calibrations may be arranged upon one wallof the cylinder'17 'and the sleeve18jad` jacent the wall of the slot 25.7as shown in Fig. 2. Y 'v In Fig. 6, I have shown la slightly modified form of nozzlehaving an elongated tapered portion 10a' terminating in a substantially f cylindrical discharge'.portionlOlQ thelatter functioning under certainV conditions-.teef- 5 125 feet ammore uniform kfeed( of-gthefinaterial from the chamber I2 into the .conduitf In operation, material suclif as saw mill refuse isfallowed to pass from thebin 1 into? i y thev receiving hopper 2, a suitable valve (not shown) being preferably arranged iii-fthe discharge spout of -thebin for controlling the passagel of material therefrom. -The ma-terial'thus'suppliedto the hopper 2 yfalls the venturi 16, creates an area 'of low pres-A aroundthepoition 9 of the'pipef'? andpasses over the conical wall. of the chamber 2a. Thecompressed air or other fluid discharging Afrom the nozzlelO, due to the action2 of sure'surrounding said nozzle andtothe rear thereof which effects a uniform pull or suction upon the material passing therethrough l in quantities in excess of the vamount which will pass readily througli-theannular supply r "passage between the 'nozzle 10 land the 'conical vwall Q, said material may accumulate tothe 'rear and abovethe'n'ozzle inwhich event the highvacuum resulting in -this portion of tlie'cha'mber will function to maintain a positive and uniform feed of thematerial into the venturi.. AsV the material passes through the `venturi throat it becomes entrained infthe stream of conveying fluid and'is drivenalong by the same at a high velocity through-'the conduit 3 to the separating apparatus 5 from which-it is discharged through the spout From the foregoing description,` it is `apparent that byvv arranging theair` discharge nozzle above the vend of the conveyei' conduit and coaxial therewith, and by interposlivery the materiali into the conduit longitudinally thereofV or in the direct line of travel ofthe air stream therein. Also, by means of the injector nozzle and vventuri action I am `able to insure a positive and Vuniformv feeding ofthe material without danger ofv Voverloading or clogging of the conveyer conduit. Furthermore, by reason of the relaw tive adjustability Vof the nozzle and venturi efhcient, in handling materials of widely dif- .fe/ring characteristics, it vbeing incidentally the apparatus isv capable 'of Aproducinga maximum degree of vacuum for any iveni` pressure andvolume of conveyingifluid eing supplied to the apparatusand is-therefore noted that this adjustment serves not only to vary the degree of suction produced in the` area surrounding and to the rear of the .d'ischarge nozzle, but'tliat it also serves to alter the area of the annular space between the nozzle and conical Vwall-of vthe chamber through which the material being handled passes into the conduit system. It is, therefoi'e, apparent that by the combined needle' valve control of the air jet and the relative adj ustablity of the jet itself with respect lto: the venturi, Ihave provided a very: 'eiiicienti` and practical feeding apparatus,.which, due

to its highlyflexible regulation and control is capable of a variety of 'adaptations not 'i heretofore practicable Vwithslfluid 'conveyer systems. f t.,

In conclusion, berno-ted whilejI 'i have here illustrated and .described certain" preferred. embodiments of my invention,"- such illustrations and description areafor,

the purpose of example only and are not to be construed as defining'or limiting my inVIen-f tion, as such definitions andlimitations are to be determined from appended claims.' f

Having thus described my inventio I.claimy as new-,fisr` the Vscope of, .the

f 1. In afluidfconveyer systein,r=the combi-f nation; with an conveyer conduitandmeansv for: supplying aV conveyingV fluid thereto, sridf elements being fXed with respect@'toseachv other', of a relatively movable material receiving hopper interposed'between the conduit and the v'fluid supplyfineans,l and means for shifting said hopper bodily with respect tothe .iiuid supply means for the purpose-of regulating the rate of feed of material into the conduit.v f i 2.; In a fluid conveyer system, thek combination with conveyer conduit and fluidsupply 'means therefor andrelatively fixed., with respect thereto, i of a relatively adj ust.-v able material receiving. hopper surrounding the fluid suppl means and having communication-1 with 4t e fconduit, vand cooperative.

means carried-byfthereceiving hopper Tand.

" conduitv for shifting said'hopperbodily with effect a regulation. of lthe `rateoffeeding mai ceiving hopper having communication gwith a conveyer conduitjand adjustably mountedl with -respect thereto, said-hopper having ar substantially conica'l`throa-t,a fluid pressuref line terminating within the hopperina dis charge nozzle positioned within said conical portion Vof -thehopper, `and operating means f" cooperatively` engaging the hopper, and con-Q duit for bodily moving the.hopper"i--with1re-` spect to the discharge nozzle toregulate the pressure within thev conical throat and the rate of feed of the material from thehopper.

4;. A material Vfeeding apparatus for fluid conveying systems comprising a material receiving hopperV having communication with a conveyer conduit,l a fluid pressure line eX- tending through thewall of lthe hopper and terminating therein in a discharge nozzle, and means to shiftthe hopper with respect to material from saidhopper, the wall ofthe the nozzle to regulate the rateof vfeed of the *hopper and nozzleto regulate'said supply.

- passage,r

f hopper'` being slotted to Vpermit said shifting,`

and a .plate -covering the unoccupied por` tions ofsaid slot.. c Y

5. lA materialffeeding apparatus vfor fluid conveyer systems f comprising a fixedV sup- ;porting sleeve,.a materialreceiving hopper tellescoprically engaged therewith, and having Vcommunication With af conveyer conduit,

a fixed fluid pressure line terminating Withinathe hopper in a discharge nozzle, the hop- 'v'perlzadjacent to the nozzle being contracted tof-formA aregulatable material supply pas` sagefaround the. nozzle, and cooperativel means carried bythe hopper and sleeve for effecting a. relative adjustmentbetween the 6. The ajj`l piaratus described claimf 5 wherein cooperative Aindicatimg meansare associated With'thesleeve and hopper for indicating the relative position of Athe nozzle Within the hopperf.r

v7. The combination with Va Huid conveyer system including a conduit, of a `supporting 'sleeve secured thereto, `a materialreceiving y'hopper telescopically. engaged Vwith the sleeve, a fixed' fluid pressure pipe line extendingcentrally into the hopper, the hops per adjacent the nozzle being contracted to V.form an annular supply passage around the nozzle andy cooperative meansinterposed between thesleeve and .hopper for shifting the hopper with respect vtothe nozzle to vary the sizeof the supply passage.. .Y

' 8..'1`he apparatus jdes'cribedryin claim 7l Wherein'mean's is providedfor controlling the rdischarge ofiiuid from the nozzle.

per through a side Wall rthereof and termi-.

94Afmaterial feedingV apparatus for Huid conveyerrsystems comprising *a hopper, a fluid pressure line extending into the hop nating in adischarge nozzle, said lhopper Y having al contracted discharge throat sur-.

roundinglthenozzle, and means to shift 4the hopper bodilyy With respect to the fluid pressure line to vary therelative position of the Y nozzle and throat, the side Wall of the hopper being: rslottedvto permit shift-ing theV hopper and terminating in a discharge noz-` zle, theA hopper adjacent ,to the nozzle being contracted to` form va `Venturi discharge pas.- sage, and kmeans orbodilyshifting thehoppassage.

11. The apparatus described 'in Whereinmeans are provided for indicating.

im f

the relative position ofl the nozzleV and vent-uri. Y

. 142..',A material feeding? apparatus for fluid i pressurejconveyers con'iprising a support, ja;

hopper adjustably supportedfthereby, a fixed the hopperhaving a: discharge passage sur# rounding they nozzle, and means for adjust-v ing the hopper with respect tothe supporty to thereby ,vary-therelative `positionl'of theV -fiuid-.pressure line extending into the hopper and terminating-1n a-discharge nozzle,

nozzle with respect tothe discharge passage. Y

13.@A material feeding apparatus for fluid conveyer systems` comprising aV hopper ,pro-f vided with a Venturifdischarge passage, a` fluid pressure line extending into the hopper..

and terminating in a dischargenozzle With.-V

'nsL j inthe venturi, an extensible support forthe 'i hopper, and means for varyingl the effective length of the support whereby' to 4adjustpthe nozzle with respect to the venturi. i

14. The apparatus*describedr n claim wherein the extensible support. for thev hopper is-a tubularY member servingas a dis- 2 charge conduit for the hopper.' vi 15; Amaterialfeeding apparatus `for fluid conveyer systems :comprising a support, a

hopper adjustablymounted uponjthe sup u port,:a'fluid'pressureiline extendingV into .the Y hopper, and terminating ina discharge nozkzle,.th'e :hopper adjacent thenozzle being contracted .to form a Venturi discharge pas-W y l sage, and cooperative means carried-by the hopper and support for adjustingthe nozzle with respect to the'aventuri,,saidmeans in-A cluding a rotatable member carried by the`V hoppery and operatively `engaging the support, and means Wherebythe.rotation of said. 'u

Velement serves. to shift Vthe hopper bodily' with respect to the support..l

In ytestimonywhereof signature.

' ,EDWRD L ','IKINS.

Il hereunto 1V per to vvary the pressure in the Venturiy fj' 

